Soft-Top Jeep Break-Ins or Vandlism?

[JeepDave]

New to Jeeps so I am wondering how un-secure or a target a soft-top really is. Of course I intend to never have anything worth stealing in plain view and all that but I just wonder what to expect, how big of a problem it really is. I appreciate the experience everyone here has with Jeeps so I'd like to know your thoughts.
Thanks.

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[GreyFox]

I learned from lots of people. Never keep anything in your soft top Jeep and just leave it unlocked. If I want to secure something I take the JKU with a hard top.

 

[robaw]

It's gonna really vary depending on where a person parks their Jeep. In my neighborhood, I could comfortably leave the top down and maybe even doors off in my driveway overnight. Other places perhaps not so much.

 

[ads75]

There are many variables also, where to they park at home, street/driveway/garage/parking garage, what kind of neighborhood, where does someone work, and where can they park at work.

I would consider where someone parks their Jeep the majority of the time as a major factor as to whether or not its broken into. Not the only factor of course.

 

[JeepDave]

It's gonna really vary depending on where a person parks their Jeep. In my neighborhood, I could comfortably leave the top down and maybe even doors off in my driveway overnight. Other places perhaps not so much.

I've never had any other car I've ever owned broken in to, so the only difference now, if it happens, is that I have s/t Jeep...

 

[Kenny]

Not the same, but I have a hard top and haven’t had it on since I bought it - no theift

 

[robaw]

I've never had any other car I've ever owned broken in to, so the only difference now, if it happens, is that I have s/t Jeep...

Not saying it's a bad question - any vehicle with a soft top is obviously easier to get into without making noise by breaking a window.

I would think that if there isn't anything in plain view in the back then a person wouldn't bother, but I could be wrong. Even if a person were to cut the top or somehow get the windows out, climbing into the front to search glovebox or console would be quite the feat!

 

[nerubi]

People break into cars just because some coins are visible. All cars are easy to get into if you are smart or learn how on the internet but any convertible is easier not just Jeeps. But as mentioned earlier a lot of people have their car stolen because they leave it unlocked overnight parked outside with the keys in it. Or leave it running to warm it or while running into the store. And the rest of us pay higher insurance because of those idiots.

 

[ECHO]

I just leave mine unlocked and no valuables inside... But; I am fortunate to live in a rural area

 

[OldGuyNewJeep]

I just leave mine unlocked and no valuables inside... But; I am fortunate to live in a rural area

+1, except I’m in the suburbs. Even when I went to Philly for a weekend I left it unlocked (and paid for a garage).

Edit: I have a manual, which I think gives me an extra level of theft protection. That said, it also opens the possibility that some dickhead could release my brake, shift to neutral, and push my Jeep if for no other reason than to be an ass.

 

[TimmH]

Every couple of weeks the local news reports of cars broken into in people's driveways here.
Then the interviews with victims crying about their cell phones, purses, wallets, laptops stolen out of their unlocked vehicle.

I am like, I would not leave any of those items in my vehicle parked in my closed garage, much less in my driveway, and why are your doors unlocked if it's in the driveway overnight?

 

[KCwrangler]

I personally have left my TJ in my driveway with no top or doors without any issues in my neighborhood. I would feel comfortable doing the same thing in the JL, but we are in a very low crime suburb (and i also have a security camera on my driveway). When I lived in a condo in the city and parked on the street, even on the plaza which is a high end shopping/restaurant district....a jeep with a soft top probably wouldn't last a week without getting broken into, hell my buddies trailhawk with the doors unlocked for 5 minutes had his gym bag with sweaty gross clothes stolen out of it there. At the end of the day it really is just all about your surroundings, and always keep anything of significant value locked up no matter where you park or what top you have.

 

[Zazoh]

Often don’t have any top. I’ll find a piece of trash, like a fast food cup in there from time to time. At least they didn’t litter.

 

[Ralph2018JL]

New to Jeeps so I am wondering how un-secure or a target a soft-top really is. Of course I intend to never have anything worth stealing in plain view and all that but I just wonder what to expect, how big of a problem it really is. I appreciate the experience everyone here has with Jeeps so I'd like to know your thoughts.
Thanks.

If you’re that worried about security I’d go with a hardtop.

 

[viper88]

New to Jeeps so I am wondering how un-secure or a target a soft-top really is. Of course I intend to never have anything worth stealing in plain view and all that but I just wonder what to expect, how big of a problem it really is. I appreciate the experience everyone here has with Jeeps so I'd like to know your thoughts.
Thanks.

It probably depends on where your Wrangler will be. In downtown Chicago, it's not if, but WHEN it will get broken into. And how many times. Personally for me it was several times. I started leaving the doors unlocked hoping they would not slash the top to get in. It's not just the content of your Wrangler, they also stole parts of the soft top. I finally gave up and got a hard top. It's not just a Jeep issue either. I had another non-Wrangler convertible that was slashed and broken into also. BTW…this happened in a nice parts of Chicago and in the suburbs. My answer to your question…It's going to be a big problem. I HIGHLY recommend a Hard top in the City.

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